﻿1S7I'.] inn BmifjGS of the N.^. Frontier. 173 



pale spots on outer margin, rest of breast buff*, lighter on abdomen and sides ; 

 barred on centre of breast and flanks with black, the barring not shewn but 

 each feather has a termmal black heart-shaped spot, which is a conspicuous 

 character. 



Legs pale grey with green tinge ; bill pale horny-black, pale beneath, 

 irides dark brown. 



L. U-5," W. G 25/'T. 5-0," t. 1-2," Bf. 9." 



Through the kindness of Dr. J. Anderson, I have examined a specimen 

 of B. Fytchii 2 from the Yunan Hills, and with this the Khasi bird is evi- 

 dently ver}^ closely allied, if indeed it should not turn out to be identical ; but 

 between my bird and B. Fytcliii there are differences which, though perhaps 

 small, separate them, and until birds of the same sex are placed side by side, 

 we cannot well decide whether they are two good species or not. To be- 

 gin the enumeration of the points of difference, the Yunan bird (A) is 

 much smaller than the Khasi one (B) : 



(A) B. Fytcliii, t. 1-7/' mid-toe VT. 



(B) B. HopJcinsoni, t. 2-1,'' „ 2'!". 



Other dimensions of (B.) L. 14-5," W. 6.25" T. 5" Bf. O'O^ 



In (B) the feathers on the flanks have the black terminal spot 

 invariably heart-shaped, whereas in (A ? ) the corresponding feather is a 

 diamond form {vide also the figure of $ in P. Z. S., 1871, PI. XI). 



In (A) the whole of the lower back is plain olivaceous with a few 

 of the longest upper tail-coverts having a black triangular (isosceles-shaped) 

 terminal spot followed by a white base. 



In (B) these spots are much larger and broader and extend up over 

 the rump, and the feathers are more distinctly barred with brown and have 

 a rufous tinge at the base. 



In (B), and I think this is the most important difference, all the 

 feathers of the upper back are spotted with white, and this feature extends 

 to the wing coverts and shoulder of wing. In (A) there is no tendency 

 to this coloration nor is there any trace of it in the plate in the P. Z. S. 



(A.) is dark brown on chin, (B.) very pale. 



(A.) tail not distinctly barred, (B.) tail well-barred and the pale bars 

 edged with black. 



(A.) tail beneath dull brown, (B.) tail ruddy brown. 



However, whether they be separable or not, and a larger series \\\\\ 

 decide this, one important point is finding this bird so far to the westward, 

 within Indian limits ; it has never before been recorded. My specimen 

 was shot at Shillong on grassy slopes at 5000 feet. Before I had seen the 

 bird in hand, I had twice seen it running on the pathway and noticed its very 

 different flight) from that of the Black Partridge, which at first I thought 

 it was. Now that attention is called to it, other specimens will no doubt 

 turn up. 



